Martin Luther's Explanation of Sola Scriptura
score:5
In a specialised article, solely about this very subject, Stephen Lawson in April 11 2018, stated (quoting Luther) :
Unless I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by clear reason, for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves, I am bound by the Scriptures that I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot to do otherwise. Here I stand, God help me.
By this declaration, Luther testified that the Bible is the sole authority upon which he stood. He asserted the Scripture is a higher authority than church traditions, ecclesiastical councils, or even the pope himself. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church had espoused the authority of the Scripture and these other things. But Luther rebutted this position and declared that Scripture alone has the right to rule in the church. By this fearless posture, he established and embodied sola Scriptura.
For Luther and the other reformers, sola Scriptura meant a fundamental commitment to six essential truths about the Bible.
Martin Luther and Sola Scriptura
(This article originally appeared in Expositor Magazine, No. 20, Nov/Dec 2017.)
The rest of this article deals with the six essential truths, in direct connection with Martin Luther himself :
The Inspiration of Scripture
The Inerrancy of Scripture
The Authority of Scripture
The Perspicuity of Scripture
The Sufficiency of Scripture
The Invincibility of Scripture
I recommend the entire article as a very full answer to the stated question.
Quotes of Luther contained in the article :
Let the man who would hear God speak, read Holy Scripture.
The Holy Spirit is the Author of this book.
We attribute to the Holy Spirit all of the holy Scripture.
... the word of God is greater than heaven and earth, yes greater than death and hell, for it forms part of the power of God.
The Bible is alive. It speaks to me.
The word is flawless, so that not an iota in the law or the divine promises is defective.
The apostles show that one should not trust the holy fathers and the church unless it is certain that they have the word of God. Only Scripture is to be considered inerrant.
Scripture will not contradict itself on even one article of faith.
When they extol the authority of the fathers or they extol the authority of Augustine or of Gregory and likewise of the councils, our answer is 'Those things have no claim on us. We demand the word.'"
God…would hold us solely to His word [so] that we may learn to despise the great cry: "Church! Church! Fathers! Fathers! The church cannot err! The church cannot err!"…
The meaning of Scripture is in and of itself so certain and accessible and clear that Scripture interprets itself and tests and judges and illumines everything else.
If the words are obscure at one place, they will be made clear in another place.
What kind of God would He be if His word is insufficient and is in need of supplementing by men?
More post
- 📝 How does the Jehovah's Witness denomination deal with the filial piety among its East Asian believers?
- 📝 Who is the earliest theologian arguing for a 'memorial ordinance' theory of the Eucharist as opposed to a 'real presence sacramental' one?
- 📝 Was the Latin word lucifer exchanged in Isaiah 14:12 for the Hebrew word Helel and do they, along with the Greek word phosperous mean morning star?
- 📝 How do those who believe that the dead are conscious explain passages in Psalms that seem to suggest otherwise?
- 📝 Have there been explanations offered for why Christianity is so food centric?
- 📝 What would happen if a priest venerated Santa Muerte in an RCC church?
- 📝 Respect for other religions
- 📝 How do Pre-Millennial Dispensationalists reconcile Hebrews 8:13?
- 📝 Does the New Testament say that Christians should read the Bible every day?
- 📝 What does this possibly Catholic symbol mean?
- 📝 Does a classic Trinitarian formulation consider God to be his own "Family"?
- 📝 Did the early church teach the person of God the Word changed in the incarnation?
- 📝 Similarities and differences between the priesthood in the Catholic and the LDS Church
- 📝 Do any Protestant denominations recognize Latter Day Saints as Christians?
- 📝 Is there a co-relation between the name or Bethlehem and Jesus' teachings?
- 📝 Have any Christian denominations publicly raised concerns about the Catholic Jerusalem Bible?
- 📝 How to light incense like a pro?
- 📝 According to Lutherans, what is the Kingdom of God?
- 📝 Where did the custom of dancing with flags during worship originate?
- 📝 What did Jesus mean by seventy times seven?
- 📝 What did C. S. Lewis base his idea of sehnsucht/joy on?
- 📝 What does Pentecostalism consider Prophetic Fine Art to be?
- 📝 What is the opinion of the LDS Church in regards to unbaptized people's taking communion?
- 📝 What is the origin and development of the calender of the Western Church?
- 📝 How do Latter-day Saints respond to the claim that the Book of Mormon is based on "Manuscript Found" by Solomon Spaulding? (aka the Spaulding Theory)
- 📝 What Biblical basis supports the idea that questions and answers about Christianity could be sinful?
- 📝 What compelled John Wesley to take up the cause of Abolitionism?
- 📝 To whom should we pray? To the Father or the son Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 Is the Bible an inexhaustible source?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the modern continuation of the office of apostle?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Martin Luther's Explanation of Sola Scriptura
- 📝 How do Sola Scriptura defenders have a list of "scripture" since the list isn't mentioned in scripture?
- 📝 How do proponents of Sola Scriptura choose the "correct" interpretation of a key Bible verse?
- 📝 How does Sola Scriptura understanding of the Bible affect the anagogical sense of the Bible?
- 📝 How do proponents of Sola Scriptura address the ministry of those Apostles who authored no parts of Scripture?
- 📝 Sola Scriptura and the Biblical Canon
- 📝 What was first, sola scriptura or sola fide?
- 📝 Does Sola Scriptura go hand in hand with personal interpretation?
- 📝 Does the doctrine of Sola Scriptura prohibit the use of empirical information to understand the bible?
- 📝 What is the difference between Sola Scriptura and the belief in a closed canon?
- 📝 Protestants and Sola Scriptura adherents: When was scripture alone sufficient?
- 📝 Does Sola Scriptura entail Cessationism?
- 📝 Refute perceived differences in the Gospel between Peter and Paul from Sola Scriptura perspective
- 📝 How do adherents of sola scriptura respond to "extra" biblical beliefs?
- 📝 Are there sola scriptura inerrantists who reject sensus unum as a general hermeneutic?
- 📝 How do proponents of Sola Scriptura defend the doctrine without scripture being canonized until after the proof texts were written?
- 📝 Are there any Christian churches that believe in both Sola Scriptura and Continuationism?
- 📝 Church Fathers on Sola Scriptura
- 📝 Between Sola Scriptura Churches, has it happen that there is a difference interpretation to the same verse?
- 📝 What were Martin Luther's opinions on the Crusades?
- 📝 What is the basis for not believing sola scriptura?
- 📝 What were Martin Luther's main disagreements with the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Who are these people in this Catholic Reformation meme that are considered more influential than Martin Luther?
- 📝 Why was Martin Luther attempting to change the canon?
- 📝 Did Augustine teach sola fide?
- 📝 How can Protestants authoritatively declare something wrong or heretical under Sola Scriptura?
- 📝 Did Martin Luther ever admit that his approval of Philip's bigamy was wrong?
- 📝 Is it true that Martin Luther was calling for killing Hebrew people?
- 📝 Did Martin Luther believe the Church needed to be reformed before the Great Schism of 1054AD, or after?
- 📝 Did Martin Luther accept or reject the existence of Purgatory?